Children of Sandhills Early Childhood Centre celebrate $255,000 refurbishment

Children and families utilising the services of Sandhills Early Childhood Centre are celebrating a $255,000 refurbishment of the facility in the New South Wales town of Byron Bay, after it was officially opened on Monday by The Hon. Ben Franklin, MLC and Parliamentary Secretary for Energy and the Arts. 

The improvements, which included upgrades to learning spaces, the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry were funded via a grant from the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund (SCCF).

The not-for-profit Sandhills centre was, in the words of Byron Shire Council’s Children’s Services Coordinator Janelle Rapley, “in desperate need of an upgrade” which she says has made an incredible difference to the parent committee run centre. 

The centre has 95 children enrolled, offering long day care and preschool services for children from five months to six years of age. The refurbishment, Ms Rapley added, has also delighted staff, providing them with an “incredible improvement to our learning spaces”.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro congratulated the Byron Shire community on the newly renovated space, saying “The Sandhills Early Childhood Centre provides a valuable service to growing families in the Byron Shire and the NSW Government was delighted to help upgrade this amazing community facility.” 

More information about Sandhills may be found on their website.